Over the years, Sebastian Bach has done a great job of branding himself as a television personality and as one of rock’s bad boys. He has had a much more difficult time, musically, getting out from under the shadow of his former band Skid Row. The reason is simple: Bach has never made music as good as his former band -- until now.

His solo effort, Angel Down, received critical praise but the truth of the matter is that few people jumped on board and even fewer continued to play the album two weeks after they bought it. The album failed, once again, to bring Bach back. With Kicking & Screaming, however, Sebastian has finally created the music that has eluded him for decades. Perhaps it took the public bashing, his separation from his wife of twenty years and a good look in the mirror for him to give himself a kick in the ass and dig deeper than he has ever has before. If so, his reality check was, musically, worth it. The title track is a true skull crusher, while “Lost in the Light” shows Bach and band crank out a song that would have been Top 10 hit back in 1991.

The album sees Bach sounding better, vocally, than he has since Skid Row. The album, produced by music vet Bob Marlette, is well recorded and brings out a dynamic sound from beginning to end. While songs like “Dance On Your Grave” and “Dirty Power” continue the thrashing, other tunes, including “Wishin’,” and “Dream Forever” show Bach is capable of fitting into the modern music scene, while still keeping it real. In fact, “Dream Forever” is one of the best songs of Bach’s career.

While most people have turned Sebastian Bach into hard rock’s whipping boy, Bach has done much in the way of giving them the middle finger as he has put together a great album of hard rock that spans the spectrum of metal to hard rock to modern pop to emotional ballads. If you’re expecting Youth Gone Wild then you may not take the time to listen to this album, as instead of youthful angst, this one contains the trials and tribulations a man in his 40’s faces. Missing out on this one is a mistake.

Bottom line: Sebastian Bach done good.